For years, rakish-looking sports-tourer motorcycles were all the rage for riders dreaming of new horizons, open (twisty) roads and long days in the saddle. Right up until the adventure bike stole their crown.
Motorcycle Industry Association figures show that more than 12,000 tall-riding adventure bikes were sold in the UK in the year to June 2023, compared to just 1,551 ‘tourers’ and over 5,000 ‘road sport’ models.
I love an adventure bike as much as the next rider (they give a great view over London traffic and you feel they’ll take you anywhere in the world) but a week with BMW’s revamped R 1250 RS SE sports-tourer made me think again.
True, you wouldn’t venture further off-road on this bike than a gravel car park, and with your head hunkered closer over the front wheel than with an upright adventure-style bike, you won’t see so much of the scenery either.
But that same forward-leaning seating position puts the rider more closely in touch with the road, especially on the bends, giving a more involving ride which can be a delight on a long road tour.
With its surefooted handling, crisp lines, cushy - programmable - suspension, powerful ‘boxer’ engine, large luggage-carrying capacity, agile handling and mile-munching ability on motorways, this all-rounder is a highly attractive proposition.
Most of the latest updates for 2023 are under the skin. They include standard Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and an ECO riding mode, while the Integral ABS Pro cornering anti-lock system is also standard. The optional Riding Modes Pro adds engine braking control and configurable riding modes, as well as Dynamic Brake Control to maximise stopping power in emergency braking. There are new LED indicators and a 5-volt USB-A socket in addition to the 12v accessory socket to make it easier to charge phones.
At home on the bends
I put about 700 miles on the clock during a tour starting and ending in London, via deepest Somerset then up through Wales, taking in dramatic, twisting roads across the Brecon Beacons, through Snowdonia and on to the north Welsh coast.
There wasn’t an inch of tarmac on which this bike - costing from £13,140 but rising sharply in price if you add a few essential goodies - didn’t feel perfectly at home. Even in torrential rain.
With its low centre of gravity, well-placed rear-view mirrors, superb engine tractability in second gear, low seat height at 820mms, smooth power application, progressive brakes and general poise, it makes for fine city motorcycling, effortlessly shrugging off its 243 kg weight.
Filtering is never a problem - although it would fare (and look) better without those load-swallowing panniers - because it feels so mild-mannered in traffic, even with the optional AkrapoviÄ silencer (£910), which gives the engine an extra, enticing bark.
On the motorway, the bike’s dart-like shape, backed by its two-position screen and minimalist fairing, helps it cut through the air with little turbulence, buffeting or wind pressure, especially with the screen in the higher setting.
The seating position feels roomy though not as spacious as that of an adventure bike, and there’s almost no vibration from that big ‘boxer’ engine of 1,254 ccs, which develops a thumping 105 lbs of torque, and 136 hp, thanks in part to its dual cam configuration.
It’s fast, with 0-60 mph coming up in just 3.25 seconds, and a top speed of 135mph. Surefooted too. Once off the motorway onto twisty A and B roads, the rider’s extra weight over the steering gives high levels of confidence in bends even if - compared to a pure sports bike - the seating position is restrained. It’s a pity they didn’t move the indicator switch further out though - it’s a bit of a stretch to reach from the rubber grip.
Balance and poise
On tight, twisting, mountain roads, bends are this bike’s speciality. Not just because it feels confidence-inspiring (backed by selectable on-the-fly riding modes affecting suspension, traction, and throttle), but because of the low centre of gravity and the bike’s overall sense of balance and poise. Sportier bikes might turn in faster, but this one is nimble and certainly entertaining enough for most riders.
The brakes feel good and strong on the entry to bends - the rear brake impressively responsive - with the engine providing great dollops of torque on the exit, making swift, secure, safe progress the order of the day. Great fun.
Seat comfort is good - at least for an hour or two. There was some pressure on the hands from the mildly leant-forward position, although the grips are quite hard. After more than a year away from riding - leaving a legacy of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy - the heated hand grips were a boon on wetter days, despite this being a summer ride. Up in the mountains, in torrential rain, even the heated seat came into play. That’s British summertime for you.
All the gear
You have to pay well for the extra treats, however, as with any BMW. The base price for the R 1250 RS is £13,140, and £15,135 for the SE on test, but most will want to add those heated grips, that are included in the £790 Comfort package, also delivering benefits such as keyless ignition (handy on a wet day when fumbling in pockets for keys is a chore) and tyre pressure control). Standard gear on the SE also includes Gearshift Assist Pro, Riding Modes Pro (Dynamic, Dynamic Pro, Hill start control), Dynamic ESA (suspension), preparation for GPS, cruise control, centre stand and pannier fastenings.
If you want to up-spec the basic, non-SE bike, the centre stand (useful for servicing and washing) costs £155, while sports wheels add £980, and Cruise Control (which you’d insist on, not least so that you could massage your hands back to life on the m-way) costs £360, for instance. Luxury biking, clearly, isn’t inexpensive.
On the test bike, however, it all added up to a lot of fun, performance, high refinement, great build quality and immense rider satisfaction. Being shaft drive, there’s less maintenance to worry about on tour, too.
It’s not the quickest sports tourer, nor the most aggressive but it’s great fun in the bends and relaxing when you want to wind down a notch or two.
THE FACTS
BMW R 1250 RS
Engine: 1,254cc ShiftCam flat twin
HP: 136
Torque: 105 lbs @ 6,250 rpm
Fuel tank: 18 litres
Seat height: 820mms
Weight: 243 kg
POINTING THE WAY
Few riders now rely on scribbled directions taped to their motorcycle tank: state-of-the-art satellite navigation is the order of the day.
Some prefer visual prompts such as the turn-by-turn instructions on the BMW’s impressive TFT screen; others (myself included) prefer a map screen (preferably after planning the initial route with a printed road atlas).
The icing on the cake however is a combination of a map plus audible instructions so you don’t tune out and miss a turning. For this, the best solution is a helmet with built-in Bluetooth speakers, possibly connected to that TFT screen.
They don’t come much smarter than Schuberth’s £500 C5 crash helmet, coupled with the Sena SC2 comms system which costs a not inconsiderable £370 (around £60 cheaper if bought with the helmet, from, for instance, Motolegends).
Fitting the comms couldn’t be easier, a five-minute operation made simpler by a useful instructional video. The equipment quality is superb, with beautifully crafted brass snap connections, along with a nicely engineered main control (fixed to the rear of the helmet) and a separate remote (fixed to the left-hand side).
Audio quality is impressive, with a deep bass resonance and clear higher frequencies while, thanks to the accompanying app, pairing to your phone, sat-nav or another helmet has been made remarkably easy compared to the bad old days of trial and - mostly - error.
The twin built-in earphones pick up sat-nav instructions clearly, and the volume can be set to adjust to the bike’s speed. Better still, there’s a built-in radio (great on boring motorways, not so great when you’re concentrating on bends), and the whole set-up sits neatly and unobtrusively on the helmet, in pre-configured, neatly engineered slots. You could use the system to speak to other bikers in your group, or your passenger. There’s more on the basic C5 helmet here.
The controls are - with practice - fine to use with motorcycle gloves and the unit makes touring less stress-free, and more fun.
